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Visual FoxPro - An Introduction:: 33
VISUAL FOXPRO - AN
INTRODUCTION
4.1 INTRODUCTION
Visual FoxPro is a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS), which allows you to work with several logically related tables of data simultaneously. A Table in a database contains a number of Rows and Columns. One row in the table is equivalent to one record and one column is equivalent to one field.
4.2 OBJECTIVES
After going through this lesson, you would be able to
l start Visual Foxpro menus
l use shortcut keys
l use Visual Foxpro menus.
l explain the concept of DBMS
4.3 CONCEPT OF DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DBMS)
Before you understand the concept of Database Management System. (DBMS), it is necessary that you understand few basic terms related to DBMS. Let us begin with data. Anything can be data, e.g., a number, name of a person or place, address, etc. When a data is meaningful, it is called Information and a Database is an organized collection of related information. You can use database for
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- retrieving desired information
- taking meaningful decision
- reorganizing information
- processing information
Database Management System (DBMS) is a generalized software package used to build and manage the database, i.e., add, modify (edit), update, delete and sort (arrange in a particular order) information in the database. DBMS also helps to retrieve the desired information in the required format from the database. Visual FoxPro is a leading database Management System. It is a member of Microsoft Visual Studio. Visual FoxPro is one of the Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). It is windows based Graphical User Interface (GUI) RDBMS. The database is a broader concept in Visual FoxPro in which the information is stored in related tables. The table is equivalent to database of the earlier version of FoxPro. A database is a collection of various records comprising rows and columns. One row is one record and one column is one field. A record is collection of logically related fields and a field is one column information. In Visual FoxPro, there can be more than one table storing different stream of information. A table in a database contains a number of Rows and Columns. One row in the table is equivalent to one record and one column is equivalent to one field.
4.4 STARTING VISUAL FOXPRO
The minimum hardware/software configuration of the machine required for installing Visual FoxPro is that you should have a Pentium Series of Computer with 32 MB RAM and 10GB of Hard Disk Drive with Windows 95 or higher operating system. Here we have discussed 6.0 version of Visual Foxpro
In order to start with Visual FoxPro, you must ensure that Visual FoxPro system is already installed on your computer. To invoke Visual FoxPro, Double click the My Computer Icon on the Desktop Window. Then double click C: drive. Now, click on Program Folder and then Microsoft Visual Studio. Now double click the Microsoft Visual FoxPro icon as shown in Fig. 4.
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In this case double click the Visual FoxPro icon from the desktop itself and then Visual FoxPro window will appear on your screen as shown in Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.3 : Visual FoxPro with Command Window
Alternatively, you can invoke Visual FoxPro by clicking mouse on Start menu then click on Programs. Place the mouse on Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0. You will see a number of options. Place mouse on Microsoft Visual FoxPro 6.0 option as shown in Fig. 4.4 and click the left mouse button on it.
Fig. 4.4: Visual FoxPro through Start Menu
Visual FoxPro - An Introduction:: 37
The Visual FoxPro window will appear on your screen as shown in the above fig. 4.3.
4.5 USING THE VISUAL FOXPRO MENUS
The Visual FoxPro Menu system can be classified into the following components as:
l Menu Bar l Menu Pad (Item) l Menus (Pull Down Menu) l Menu Options l Toolbar
Fig. 4.5: Visual FoxPro Menu Systems
Selected Option
Control Menu Box
Menu Pad
Menu Bar
Title Bar
Standard Toolbar Disabled Menu Option
Opens a Dialog Box
Command Window
Pull down Menu (Menu Popup)
Visual FoxPro - An Introduction:: 39
l Use the Left and Right Arrow keys to the menu pad you want to use and then press key. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to select the desired option and then press the key or key.
You will find that some of the menu options have an ellipsis (…) after the option. This indicates that the option will further open a dialog box. A dialog box appears to request the additional information.
4.5.5 Toolbar
The Toolbar appears below the menu bar and displays the icons as shown in Fig. 4.5. To access the toolbar using the mouse, click on the icon you want to use.
INTEXT QUESTIONS
- What is the difference between data and information?
- Give the full form of RDBMS.
- Choose the Correct Answer:
(a) A database is a collection of
(i) Fields (ii) Table (iii) Records (iv) Column
(b) In Visual FoxPro, a Table is equivalent to
(i) Row (ii) Column (iii) Field (iv) Database
4.6 VISUAL FOXPRO TEXT EDITOR
Modify Command is the standard Text Editor of the Visual FoxPro. In short it is also called modi comm. It allows you to create and modify text. Using this text editor you can code or modify a Visual FoxPro program. The following keys can be used for selecting and editing text.
Key(s) Action
Cursor Movement
Right Arrow To move the cursor one character to the right.
Left Arrow To move the cursor one character to the left.
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Up Arrow To move the cursor up one line. Down Arrow To move the cursor down one line. Home To move the cursor to the beginning of the current line. End To move the cursor to the end of the current line. Page up To move the cursor up the height of the current line. Page down To move the cursor down the height of the current line. Ctrl+Home To move the cursor to the beginning of the current text. Ctrl+End To move the cursor to the end of the current text. Ctrl+Right Arrow To move the cursor one word to the right. Ctrl+Left Arrow To move the cursor one word to the left.
Selecting Text
Shift+Right Arrow To select one character to the right of the cursor. Shift+Left Arrow To select one character to the left of the cursor. Shift+Up Arrow To select one line up to the cursor. Shift+Down Arrow To select one line down to the cursor. Ctrl+A To select all text.
Deleting Text
Backspace To delete the selected text or the character to the left of the cursor if no text is selected.
Del To delete the selected text or the character to the right of the cursor if no text is selected.
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Ctrl+F8 To increase/decrease the size of the current window. Ctrl+F9 To minimize the current window to an icon. Ctrl+F10 To maximize the current window. Esc To exit current editing without saving the modification. F1 To activate on-line help. F2 To open the view window. F3 To list the content of the current table. F4 To list the files in the current directory. F5 To display the structure of the current table. F6 To display the status. F7 To display the current memory variables. F8 To display the field names and the current record of the current table. F9 To open the Browse window in append mode.
4.8 EXITING VISUAL FOXPRO
You can exit Visual FoxPro by using any one of the following methods:
l Type quit in the command window and press key. l Open the File menu and choose the Exit option. l Click mouse on the Control Menu Box from the Title bar of the main Visual FoxPro window as shown in the figure 4.3. l Press <Alt+F4> key.
4.9 WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT
In this lesson you have learned about the concept of database and how to invoke Visual FoxPro, Visual FoxPro menus, shortcut keys for menu options and how to exit Visual FoxPro. In the next lesson you will learn about the complete Visual FoxPro Menu System and Toolbars.
Visual FoxPro - An Introduction:: 43
4.10 TERMINAL QUESTIONS
- Discuss the concept of DBMS.
- What are the various ways of starting Visual FoxPro?
- Define the various Menu Pads available on the Menu Bar of Visual FoxPro.
- Name the Text Editor of Visual FoxPro.
- What is the shortcut for displaying the structure of the current table?
4.11 KEY TO INTEXT QUESTIONS
1 Data: Anything can be data, e.g. a number, name of a person or place, address, Information: When a data is meaningful, it is called information.
2 Relational Database Management Systems
3 (a) (iii) (b) (iv)
